Scientists and health professionals agree that without shelter in a harsh environment, the human body can last about 3 hours, without food for around 3 weeks, without air for 3 mins, and without water for 3 days. It’s incredible to conceive that in 2015, more than 85% of the World’s population live in the driest half of the planet, and more than 700 million people still do not have access to clean water.

With more and more organisations powering up campaigns to:

• Save water (Energy Saving Trust)
• Provide clean water (Wateraid)
• Introduce water as a human right (Right 2 Water)

we remain hopeful that we won’t carry these tragic statistics through to the next century. Let’s celebrate the water, the transparent bringer of life, and digest some facts that define exactly why we can’t live without it.

1. Human blood is 83% water.
2. Jellyfish and cucumbers are 95% water.
3. There is the same amount of water on the planet now as there was at the dawn of time.
4. If the adult population of England and Wales turned off the tap whilst brushing their teeth, we could save enough water to supply water to half a million homes.
5. It takes around 2000 litres of water to produce a cotton t-shirt.
6. It takes less water to ‘produce’ chicken and goat than any other meat.
7. Over 90% of the world’s supply of fresh water is located in Antarctica.
8. Water is responsible for regulating the earth’s temperature.
9. Water is the only mineral that is found naturally on Earth in three separate forms; liquid, gas and solid.
10. Just as we need plenty of water to survive and be healthy, drinking too much water can cause intoxication that can be fatal.
11. Water dissolves more substances than any other liquid, including sulphuric acid.
12. Water contains levels of chemicals, nutrients and minerals in whatever form it is.
13. Around ¾ of the earth’s surface is covered by water, but only 1% of this is viable for human consumption.
14. 30% of fresh water is underground.
15. Water expands by up to 9% when frozen.
16. By the time your body registers it’s thirsty you have lost over 1% of your body fluid.
17. It takes around 170 litres of water to ferment 1 pint of beer.
18. Water arrived on the earth up to 4 billion years ago via asteroids and comets.
19. There are 16 different types of ice.
20. The mpemba effect occurs when hot water freezes faster than cold.

Whilst we work on conserving our water supplies and introducing fresh water to the developing world,  it’s good to remember just how lucky we are to have water from a tap. For the cost of a small bottle of water you can refill a half-litre bottle from the tap 1,740 times!

The benefits of filtered water are plentiful, and with the current environmentally-driven shift towards a ‘tap is best’ philosophy, why not install a water filter on your tap at home? You can have filtered, purified and even boiling hot water straight from the tap. Now that is truly amazing!

[Photos by ronymichaud and 889464]